Antioxidant found in red wine lowers chance of polycystic ovaries

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New research has found that resveratrol, an antioxidant found in red wine, can stop women from developing polycystic ovary syndrome.

Here's some news that will be music to red wine drinkers ears; a daily glass of the red stuff can prevent women from developing polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

The health benefits of red wine are widely acknowledged, with previous research concluding it lowers the risk of heart problems, prevents cancer and protects muscles and bones in a similar way to exercise. And now a fresh study can be added to our internal list of why red is best.

For the new research, a team of experts examined 30 women with PCOS, which affects a woman's hormone levels, periods, and ovulation and can impact fertility and pregnancy, at the University of Poznan in Poland. The test group was split into two, with one taking a resveratrol supplement and the others given a placebo pill. Resveratrol is an antioxidant found in red wine, with Malbec and Pinot Noir boasting some of the highest levels of resveratrol.

The pills were taken daily for three months, with the women giving a blood sample at the beginning and end of the trial to have their levels of testosterone and androgen tested.

They were also given an oral glucose tolerance test to measure the risk of diabetes.

At the end of the study it was shown that those who had taken the resveratrol supplement had seen their saw testosterone levels fall by 23.1 and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS - another hormone that the body can convert into testosterone) by 22.2. They also saw a reduced risk of diabetes.

The placebo group's levels of testosterone went up by 2.9 per cent and DHEAS by 10.5 per cent.

Writing in Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, senior author Dr Antoni Duleba, of the University of California, explained what the results mean.

"Our study is the first clinical trial to find resveratrol significantly lowers PCOS patients' levels of testosterone as well as dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS)," he said.

"The findings suggest resveratrol can improve the body's ability to use insulin and potentially lower the risk of developing diabetes. The supplement may be able to help reduce the risk of metabolic problems common in women with PCOS."